unknown 4-4-0 build

[robin hall 1Participant @robinhall1]

I have got hold of a 2 1/2″ gauge 4-4-0 chassis with baker valve gear but don’t know if it is a make or a private build or what loco it could be? would anybody have any idea if anything like this has been built in this gauge?

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

A picture will be a big help ! Noel.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There are two clubs dealing with 2 1/2″ – the Gauge 3 Association and the 2 1/2″ Association. Their websites might have a list of all known designs, though it might be members only. Then a model railway enthusiast (various clubs) might know the 440s with Baker gear. Also some of the ME casting suppliers (eg Reeves) might list all the known designs.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

It using Baker valve-gear might help narrow it down a bit.

This variant of Walschaert’s was used very widely in the USA but rarely if ever in the UK, where anyway most 4-4-0 locomotives had inside valve gear (typically Stephenson’s or Joy).

The 4-4-0 wheel arrangement was very common in 19C US practice but most of these engines too, seemed to have inside Stephenson’s Link Motion.

LBSC successfully used Baker Gear on one or two of his designs, including “Tich”.

[WearyParticipant @weary]

Hello Robin,

Here is a link to the list of 2 1/2″ designs on the National 2 1/2″ Gauge Association website.

In addition I suggest that you post your query on Model Engineering Clearing House forum, as John Baguley (username = baggo), the secretary of ‘The Association’, is an active member and if/when he sees your posting may be able to shed some light.   If you can link to a photo of what you have, and/or give some dimensions, i.e. distance between axles, diameter of wheels, etc., then that may help too.

It was not unusual for Baker Valve Gear to be applied to designs that were not originally so-fitted as LBSC supplied the formulae and dimensions for doing-so and there are manufacturing advantages to this particular gear over some others.

Regards

Phil

[John BaguleyParticipant @johnbaguley78655]

Hello Robin,

I do visit here occasionally. Yes, a photo would be very useful.

I do not know of any 2½” Gauge 4-4-0 designs that use Baker valve gear but have come across a few 4-4-2 Atlantics with it but have not yet managed to track down the design. It’s quite possible the builder just wanted something a bit different.

LBSC did design a version of Baker valve gear for 2½” Gauge and produced two loco designs using it – Fayette (a 4-6-2 freelance Pacific) and Eva May (an 0-6-0 tank loco). It would have been easy enough for someone to ‘transplant’ it to another design.

John

[robin hall 1Participant @robinhall1]

[robin hall 1Participant @robinhall1]

The frames look similar to a D49 but i thought they had walscherts.

 

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Might be worth searching for Jackson Rigby who marketed models and castings under the JR models name in the 1920’s. I’ve seen a long time unfinished chassis for a JR 4-4-0 with walschaerts gear and there is a similarity in the cylinder block and valve guides. As stated earlier it was not unusual for builders to swap Baker gear for walschaerts , LBSC was a great advocate of the baker gear.

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